Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization

Recent developments in North Macedonia suggest a further decline in relations with Bulgaria, with the presidential elections serving as a litmus test for the sentiment towards Bulgaria within the country.

The presidential election landscape in North Macedonia is poised for a runoff between Gordana Siljanovska, representing VMRO-DPMNE, and Stevo Pendarovski, backed by SDSM, following the release of partial results by the State Electoral Commission. With 98.18 percent of the protocols processed, Siljanovska leads with 40.20 percent of the vote, compared to Pendarovski's 20 percent.

A damning report from the US State Department has unveiled a troubling reality of systematic racial and ethnic violence and discrimination against Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. The document, part of the State Department's 2023 report on human rights, sheds light on concerning incidents of violence and oppression targeting Bulgarians in the country.

North Macedonia 's parliament speaker on Wednesday formally set early parliamentary and presidential elections in the spring as the country makes a bid to join the European Union.

Following opposition pressure, North Macedonia's main political parties agreed in December to organize general elections on May 8, two months early. A caretaker government was appointed last month.

A political crisis in the Republic of North Macedonia after debates on constitutional changes ended inconclusively and a vote on them was postponed indefinitely. MPs in Skopje debated whether to change their basic law, including whether Bulgarians should be included in the constitution. According to analysts, North Macedonia risks seriously falling behind in negotiations with the EU.

With 70 votes "for", 47 "against" and not a single "abstention", the Macedonian deputies adopted the agenda of their 123rd meeting with a single item - the changes to include Bulgarians in the constitution, which should open the way to negotiations with the European Union.

The largest party representing North Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority offered to pull its ministers from the government to meet a demand from the opposition to clear the way for European Union membership talks.

With the raising of the Bulgarian national flag, the Unification Monument - "Rozhen" pillar - was officially opened. The ceremony was accompanied by a live performance with historical paintings, a fireworks show and the raising of the Bulgarian national flag.

Wanted: excellent social climbing skills

"You failed with VMRO and you failed with the SDSM." This is what a judge from Skopje was told by people close to her, referring to North Macedonia's two main parties, VMRO-DPMNE and the Social Democrats.

The chairman and secretary of the "Ivan Mihailov" Bulgarian cultural center in Bitola, closed by the authorities in North Macedonia, will receive Bulgarian citizenship. President Rumen Radev will present Bulgarian passports to Lyubcho Georgievski and Blagoi Shatorov at a ceremony in the "Coat of Arms" Hall of "Dondukov" 2 street.